Originally published at: Lockpicking Lawyer shows us just how bad a cheap bike lock can be | Boing Boing
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I just ordered some turning tools for my GF. I got her a cheapy lock pick set elsewhere - the one I use. It’s fine for beginners, but the turning tools suck, thus the better ones.
And then I got me a pack of padlock shims. I got this old Yale lock found in my grandpas things, and the shims work!
And finally I got the pin punch on a spring. It is good for driving out door hinge pins, but i got the smaller model for using it to drive other, smaller pins out.
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I thought so too. My expensive Foldylock has one of those. I suppose whatever other benefits it may have, additional security from a dimple-cut key is not one of them.
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Dimple cut seems to mean “expensive to get spares”
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Laugh all you want; but you’ll wish that you’d gone with a minimum-metal lock when it’s time to secure your landmine while running errands.
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I assume that there are two types of dimple cut keys.
a) The ones which gave them a reputation for being more secure, and
b) the ones which prey on the reputation.
I should check if TLPL has an Erklärbär video on that.
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I remember a time before the Underwriter’s Laboratory was de-fanged, when you could trust a product would work reasonably well, at least for a while.
I love his videos, even bought a lock picking set, some practice locks, and a re pinning kit to learn about locks.
But…
Are bike thieves picking locks? Most locks are just suggestions or asking people to please not steal your thing a thief just cuts the lock.
We briefly cleaned and managed forclosed homes for banks(banks are sobs to do business with) there was not a lock I couldn’t open with a cordless drill.
Your lock just has to be a little bit better than the bike next to you.
I was surprised to see the chain not even welded but a thief isn’t taking the time to inspect the chain, they’re just cutting it.
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LPL has a selection of videos covering both entertaining and pragmatic variations on what he typically dryly describes in his calm, even, voice as “low-skill destructive attacks”; I think he focuses on picking because that’s what he finds interesting and is good at, along with other people already having various sorts of destruction-focused channels pretty well covered, not because it reflects his threat model.
Former commercial San Franciso bike courier here. Courier bikes were heavy one-speeds painted an ugly bright yellow – nothing any semi-rational thief would want to steal, or try to use, or dispose of. And they’re never locked. Not worth the effort.
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